Goodbye, Bruce
by genericfemme
Summary: Nobody thought it was actually possible. How could the one who protected the city for so long finally give up? - Selina Kyle deals with Bruce suddenly disappearing from Gotham. Oneshot.


Nobody thought it was actually possible. How could the one who protected the city for so long finally give up? One night, there he was. A dark shadow in the night that sent fear into the hearts of criminals and gave safety to the citizens tucked away in their beds. Then the next, gone. No one to take care of the danger that threatens unaware citizens. No one to take care of the families hiding paranoid in their rooms. One day the bat was just gone.

He's disappeared before. Off to do business elsewhere or to protect himself from criminal masterminds threatening to find out who he really is. This isn't the same, though. It never felt this sad and lonely. Even the thugs knew he was coming back before. They could feel it. But that feeling's gone now.

Thing is, I can't stand him not being here. I can't live seeing the spreading disease of insanity spread over the city I grew up in. I didn't have the best childhood. No one like me ever did. I grew up on the streets, taking to petty thievery in order to survive. Doing what I could to get what I needed to live on another day. Preferably another week. During that time I made friends here, though. There's people I care about. I'd rather them not get hurt.

I've already decided I didn't want to see this city rot. Even though it often feels like there are more idiots and psychos here than ordinary people, the ordinary people left still deserve to live their lives. I've killed before, but I don't take pride in being a killer. That's not what I do. I'm a cat burglar. And now, I've got to rise up. Become more than I ever have. I've got to leave my ways behind and make a new name for myself. Something he'd be proud of. Something the citizens here can look up to. Something the criminals would know to stay away from.

I've lived in Gotham enough to memorize it's paths and alleyways. I'm good at figuring out who lives where in the city and who's standing guard for who. I'm not into the city gossip like Cobblepot, I'm just observant. It'd take a blind man not to be able to see the allies and enemies in the wretched city. Even a child could analyze who's working with who. That means it's not hard to notice that all the criminals have gotten quiet. Too quiet. Last time it was like this there was a riot in Arkham. Something big is about to happen. And there's no Batman to stop it. But that doesn't mean I can't. Watch out, boys. Don't let your pride get to your head. The only thing that's worse than an idiot is an idiot with a big ego.

I've been asked, by people I will not name (I'm depressed that I've even decided to talk to those freaks), if your leave has affected me much. If word gets to you that it hasn't, it's because I've lied. Yes, Bruce, I told them I didn't care. What was I supposed to do? Show vulnerability? You're funny. But I'll have you know that they lied, too. No one will admit how much you being gone has affected us. Bruce, with you being Batman you have revolutionized this city. We're all waiting for you to come back. Always will be. We don't know where you are, and sometimes people lose hope, but even the crazies miss you.

Bruce, I'm sorry that I always acted like the world was a game. Maybe, sometimes, it felt like it, but you weren't. You were never a game. But because that's how I treated you, you never truly took me seriously. I apologize for never convincing you. I tried. I really did. By then, though, it was too late. You were too convinced that I didn't care enough. That I was too far on the opposite side of the law. Thing is, Bruce, I kept myself in check. And not just for the mere satisfaction of not being a completely bad person, but for you. I'm so sorry that you never got to realize that. The world's greatest detective didn't figure me out. I don't know if I should feel happy or sad about that. It's too late now, though. No point in raising the dead. The past is the past and I can't change it. All I can do is change the future. In honor of you, Dark Knight, I've been going about the city, fighting crime as you did. As we did, on occasion. I'll be the scab to the wound you opened in our city. But it'll never heal it look the same as it was before.

Your pals Barbara Gordon and Dick Grayson have found me. We've chatted about. Some small talk, some talk of you, but mostly about your interestingly not-well-protected batcave. Barbara has gotten into your systems many a time since you've been gone. According to her, she didn't mean to pry at first. She realized that she had been locked out and took it upon herself to hack back in. You changed the security, Bruce. Why? And you didn't even make it harder. You made it easier. Enigma could hack into it if he wanted to. (We've talked. He's too busy mourning your lack of showing up to care about your lack of security. He sounds like he's lost his best friend.) It's like you wanted us to look through it. Barbara couldn't find anything out of the ordinary, though. It seems like you were just trying to draw attention to it. At least, that's what the three of us are assuming. Dick asked me to try and break into the cave. I plan to. I'm just hoping that you've slacked on security there, too. Not that I couldn't break through your WayneTech crap. I just feel a little... lazy.

You don't even understand what I did. I broke in. It wasn't hard. You kept the security the same on the outside of what used to be your home, but getting into the cave was remarkably easy. Thanks for that. That's not the surprising part. I got in and called Barbara and Dick. While I waited for them to show up I took a tour around the cave by myself. I've only ever been in it a few times and that was only ever for a bit. You usually like to keep the cave a secret. Thing is, there's nothing here to tell us why now. I just... don't understand you. I'm no detective. You can't expect the rest of us to figure someone like you out.

I took the time to analyze things before walking past them. That's how I found the hatch that let me see your costume. Barbara got there before Dick and saw me staring at the batsuit. I didn't know she was there, though. She didn't interrupt me. Sweet girl. Thing is, if I had known I never would have broken into tears. The suit was perfectly intact. As if Alfred had just patched it up. I just couldn't take looking at something so... you... and not having you there. Or anywhere. You've disappeared. I've tried so hard to let go of you. There's no point in keeping you around. I was actually considering figuring out how to destroy the suit. Eventually the tears went away and I was just angry. Barbara must have noticed, though, because she came over and told me to calm down. I listened to her. Besides, if you do come back, you'll probably be happy to have your suit with you.


End file.
